Section 21 Notice: Why It No Longer Applies (and What to Send Instead)

Section 21 'no fault' eviction notices were abolished in England from 1 May 2026. Here's what that means for existing tenancies, and which Section 8 ground now applies.

Section 21 notices are no longer valid in England.

Since 1 May 2026, under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, landlords can no longer serve a Section 21 "no fault" notice to end a tenancy. Every assured shorthold tenancy that existed on that date automatically became a rolling periodic assured tenancy, and Form 6A can no longer be used to start possession proceedings.

If you served a valid Section 21 notice before 1 May 2026 and it had not yet expired, transitional rules may still allow you to rely on it - check the current GOV.UK guidance or speak to a solicitor, as the position depends on exactly when the notice was served.

For any new attempt to regain possession, you must serve a Section 8 notice under the Housing Act 1988 (as amended), citing one or more of the grounds in Schedule 2. The two grounds that most closely replace what Section 21 used to cover are:

- Ground 1: you (or your spouse/civil partner) intend to sell the property.
- Ground 1A: you or a close family member intend to move into the property as your/their only or main home.

Both currently require a minimum of 4 months' notice, and cannot normally be used within the first 12 months of the tenancy. Other grounds (for example rent arrears, or anti-social behaviour) carry different notice periods.

See our Section 8 notice template for the letter to use, and always confirm the exact ground, evidence requirements and notice period on GOV.UK or with a solicitor before serving anything - getting the ground or notice period wrong can invalidate the notice and delay you further.

Prefer to write your own from scratch? write a letter online.